Review of Juliet of the Spirits (1965) by Paul Z — 10 Sep 2008

Fellini fascinates me because there have never been any other films like his. As with the rest of his work that Iâ??ve seen, with Juliet of the Spirits, he is cotton-dry, avoiding any intimacy or tenderness, his story is very abstract and must be told in the most purely cinematic sense. Felliniâ??s extremely talented wife, Giulietta Masina, plays the title role, a mysterious nod to her own name. Giulietta explores her subconscious, having wild dreams, and finds herself partaking in the peculiar daily life of her neighbor, sexy Sandra Milo, trying to escape from the drearily tedious days she passes as the wife of her PHILANDERING husband who oppresses her (perhaps based on Fellini himself, the connection that perhaps can be made between the familiarization of the title role with Masina herself?).

The journey Giulietta takes is a psychologically elevating one, as she comes to know herself completely by working through her desires and demons, and Fellini takes us through it with some of the most inarguably beautiful cinematography I have ever seen in my life. The emboldened colors are given to great schemes and themes and his extended takes capturing constant activity result in incredible steadicam and panning shots.

The largest role played in the film however is Fellini, the key to whose mystique lies in the distance he keeps between himself and the audience. So, he continues to beguile me as itâ??s difficult to let this movie go once itâ??s over.